Yes, it’s true.
We are facing a significant move in 2014. However, don’t get too eager to redirect your monthly
missions money, because we’re not letting you off the hook just yet. We are not retiring! If
anything, we are broadening our base and hoping to do even more in the area of
Audio Scripture production and distribution world-wide.
Jim is the new
Executive Director of Audio Scripture Ministries, effective April 1, 2014. The family will transition to
living in the U.S. as of June 2014.
It was a difficult decision for us, believe it or not, as we
prayerfully agonized over the possibility of accepting this leadership position
in Michigan. The job description
fits Jim perfectly, and honestly I (Jamie) can’t imagine anyone with more field
experience, passion, and vision.
The hesitation was mostly a fleshly one, a dread of making the U.S. our new
base of operations. We always presumed we would live and die in Mexico, which
has been our home for all these years.
So, what does this mean?
From the sounds of it, you are only half finished with recording the New
Testaments in Oaxaca.
True. We are
just completing the sixtieth audio New Testament, and there are at least that
many more to be done, not to mention all the ones that will be revised to bring
them up-to-date linguistically.
Our plan is to continue managing the recording operations long-distance,
trusting our faithful group of recordists to continue in our absence.
Will you still be in Cleveland for furlough next summer and fall, as
planned?
Unfortunately, no.
Instead we will be living in Holland, Michigan, and making weekend trips
to Ohio to visit each of our supporting churches and friends to assure them of
our continued commitment to our primary missions goals.
So you will still need monthly financial support?
Absolutely!
While ASM will cover Jim’s travel expenses to places like India, Nepal,
Mozambique, Mexico, and who knows where all he will need to visit, we are still
considered “missionaries” in every sense of the word. If anything, we are hoping to expand our support base so that we can help fund other recording
projects around the world.
Will you buy a house
in Michigan?
Lord willing, yes.
This is huge for us, but Jim needs to live near the home office in
Holland. A benefit is that we will
have a home base a bit closer to the rest of the family. The downside is that we will need to
start completely from scratch. We
have absolutely nothing to furnish a house -- no furniture, no appliances… no
nothing. (And yes, that is a major
hint-hint for anyone who might have surplus anything
to spare.)
Will you sell your house and belongings in Oaxaca?
No, no, no, no, no.
There are still many recording needs in Mexico, so we will be coming and
going a lot in the coming years. I
have visions of our grown children thinking of this as a “time share” location
where they will want to visit with our grandchildren in the future. We have twenty years of memories
wrapped up in this home. Maybe we
will even retire here someday. No,
we are not selling.
What about team
trips? Will people still be able
to bring groups down to Oaxaca?
We may cut back on involvement with team trips at first, but
occasionally Jim and I can bring small teams to help with audio distribution
efforts or to help with practical needs among new indigenous churches. We love to share our passion for the
unreached by hosting “vision trips” for supporting churches, and we expect to
continue doing short-term trips once we are settled in Michigan.
Are you excited?
Yes! At the
same time we are nervous about this new cross-cultural adjustment. We are not the same Americans who moved
to Guatemala 27 years ago, and we are uncertain how our worldview may clash
with the culture of Holland, Michigan.
Soon we will discover how weird we really are!
Mostly we’d
appreciate prayer for all that this decision entails:
- · Buying and furnishing a house
- · Replacing one or both of our vehicles, leaving one behind for team trips
- · Redefining our roles in marriage and ministry together
- · Finding a supportive church in Michigan
- · Figuring out education options for Jonny and Debbie, who will be 15 and 17
- · Making new friends for all of us
- · Keeping things in Mexico running smoothly by remote
- · Maintaining a good support base with an increased cost of living
- · ETC. That etcetera is huge, and we trust God to direct your prayers as you think of us. Only He knows what we will really need in the days to come.
Bless you, as you hopefully remain partners in this ongoing
ministry with us, reaching the unreached, non-literate people groups around the
world. We are forever grateful for
your participation with us in the past, while we humbly submit our future plans
to you.
May God be glorified in our lives as we seek to serve Him in
greater ways through this new leadership opportunity.
